Down stumble into Tailteann Cup final as Fermanagh comeback falls just short

RED ALERT: Eamon Brown of Down celebrates after scoring his side's first goal during the Tailteann Cup semi-final match between Down and Fermanagh at Croke Park in Dublin. Picture: Seb Daly/Sportsfile

Tailteann Cup semi-final: Down 2-19 (2-3-13) Fermanagh 1-21 (1-3-15)

Down stumbled rather than marched into the Tailteann Cup final after a second half where Fermanagh didn’t fall short so much as they ran out of a time against a faltering Mourne County side that looked nothing like the team that was full value for their ten-point lead after half an hour.

After a season in which Down produced occasionally excellent performances but rarely put strong showings back-to-back, consecutive road trip victories in Longford and Portlaoise were a strong portent in advance of this game.

They didn’t waste time getting out to a good start either, landing the opening score from outside the arc through Ronan Burns and then hitting the net with an Eamon Brown flick, facilitated by a darting run and floated pass from Celim Doherty.

Mattie McDermott found the net for the third game in succession for Fermanagh in reply but an 0-9 to 0-2 run over the course of 15 minutes saw Down at their fluid best. There was slick running and sharp lines of attack that yielded points for Miceal Rooney, Daniel Guinness and Ceilum Doherty, but there was a long ball threat too, as seen when Brown knocked down a skyscraping pass to himself and hooked a shot over the bar.

Pat Havern landed a two-pointer and then picked up another break off Brown and delightfully floated the ball over Seán McNally for a goal to make it 2-13 to 1-6.

Darragh McGurn of Fermanagh kicks a point, under pressure from Shane Annett of Down. Picture: Seb Daly/Sportsfile

Scores from Conor O’Hanlon and McDermott (two) before half-time gave Fermanagh something to build on and a string of early Down wides boosted their confidence even further.

They had a talisman too, in the form of Ultan Kelm. The hard-running veteran hoisted over two doubles and a single, as well as assisting three Fermanagh points in a tour de force of a second half.

Down became hesitant and full of doubt, making poor choices in attack at a time when the supply of ball into the Hill 16 end started to dry up.

Ciarán Corrigan levelled the game for the first time on the hour mark, Caolan Mooney scored one of two vital second half points to nudge Down back into the lead, Kelm fed Ronan McCaffrey for an equaliser, and Down then had an unlikely hero in full-back Ryan McEvoy, who tapped the ball between the posts for the lead score, and just the sixth point of the second half for the Mourne men.

Fermanagh engineered one final chance to level through Declan McCusker, but his shot was hooked a yard left and wide, leaving Down needing just one more kickout win between them and the Tailteann Cup final.

Scorers for Down: P Havern (1-3, 1tp, 0-1f), E Brown (1-2), O Murdock (0-2, tp), R Burns (0-2, tpf), M Rooney (0-2), C Rogers (0-2), C Mooney (0-2), D Guinness (0-1), C Doherty (0-1), R McCormack (0-1), R McEvoy (0-1).

Scorers for Fermanagh: M McDermott (1-3, 0-2f), U Kelm (0-5, 2tp), C Love (0-4, 1tp, 0-1f), D McGurn (0-2), R McCaffrey (0-2), C Corrigan (0-2), J Largo Elis (0-1), G Jones (0-1f), C O’Hanlon (0-1).

DOWN: R Burns; P Fegan, R McEvoy, P Laverty; D Guinness, S Annett, C Rogers; P McCarthy, O Murdock; M Rooney, A Crimmins, R Magill; E Brown, P Havern, C Doherty.

Subs: R McCormack for Crimmins (18), C Mooney for Magill (47), R Carr for McCarthy (55), J McGeough for Rogers (58).

FERMANAGH: S McNally; S McGullion, O Smyth, J Largo Elis; R McCaffrey, C McGee, U Kelm; S McGullion, J McDade; J Cassidy, D McGurn, C O’Hanlon; C Love, G Jones, M McDermott.

Subs: C Corrigan for Jones (h-t), A Kelm for O’Hanlon (43), S Cassidy for McGee (46), O Kelm for McDade (58, temp), D McCusker for Largo Elis (63), C O’Brien for Love (66).

Referee: Fergal Kelly (Longford).